Camelot Rises
by MissSarahG1
Summary: This is a story set in the present day in which Merlin has been waiting for Arthur to return for over 1000 years and one day, at long last he does. This tells of how Arthur adjusts to this new time and how the two friends reconnect.
1. Chapter 1

**Camelot Rises**

This is a story set in the present day in which Merlin has been waiting for Arthur to return for over 1000 years and one day, at long last he does. This tells of how Arthur adjusts to this new time and how the two friends reconnect.

**Chapter 1**

It is 20th April 2011 and in the small town of Glastonbury in Southern England an old man with long grey hair and a matching beard, dressed in black linen trousers, a white shirt, dark blue overcoat and black apron toe shoes, with a bag slung across his shoulders is walking alongside a lake, on his way home. For a moment he looks out onto the water and at the small island that sits in its centre before moving on.

Twenty minutes later he arrives home to his large Georgian house and once he gets inside, he immediately goes to the hall mirror, where he utters a few words and his appearance changes, he becomes younger - it's Merlin.

Later on he is watching television, it's a history show on the myths surrounding the Arthurian legend, which he of course lived through. The man on screen says "...Morgan le Fay was Arthur's half sister through their mothers first marriage to Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall, she was an enchantress, a sorcerer who held great power. It is thought that she learned about magic from Merlin himself, little did he know that she would become one of his and his king's greatest adversary's".

"First of all her name was Morgana, not Morgan, she was Arthur's half sister through Uther and I did not teach her magic. I swear these shows will get their facts straight one day"

Merlin then gets up and walks over to a table, over which hang some paintings that he had made of himself, Arthur, Gwen and all of their friends, he was always painting them, worrying that he would forget their faces if he didn't. Taking one of himself and Arthur down, he looks at it, saying "If only you were here old friend, I've been lonely for a very long time, I could do with a friend right now".

Merlin then hangs the photo up and heads upstairs to get ready for bed. Hours later Merlin is fast asleep, dreaming about the same things he always dreams about, life back in Camelot with his friends.

* * *

**_*Start of Dream*_**

_"MERLIN!" shouted Arthur._

_"Yes your majesty"_

_"Why are there more holes in my belt?"_

_"There aren't, it's just a new one that's all"_

_"Do not lie to me Merlin, if anything else, you're terrible at it"_

_"Fine, I had to put some more holes in it"_

_"Why?"_

_"You've err put on a little weight"_

_"I have not!"_

_"As the person who dresses you, I beg to differ"_

_"Are you being rude to your King Merlin?"_

_"Me, no, never"_

_"Just leave, and never tell anyone of this"_

_Merlin is about to open the door to leave the room when he says "Fat git", which causes Arthur to throw a pillow at him, with Merlin ducking out just before the pillow hits._

**_*End of Dream*_**

* * *

Meanwhile on the shores of the lake, a head is seen coming out of the water, it's a man and it's as if he is walking out of its centre - it's Arthur and he is dressed in full armour.

When he gets out of the water, he stands on the bank of the lake and looks around him, seeing houses and lampposts all around, then a car comes whizzing past him and he looks completely and utterly startled and even a little frightened.

"Where am I?"

**End of Chapter **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next day Merlin is back in his old man persona (in which he goes by the name Henry Thomas) and at 8:30 a.m. he walks into the charity shop where he does the odd shift.

"Oh morning Henry" said the cashier Jane.

"Hi Jane".

The person working in the shop that day, Sandra, who owns it then comes into the main part of the shop from the stock room and greets Henry a.k.a. Merlin.

"Henry, did you hear about that guy they found by the lake last night?"

Hearing that Merlin's ears prick up, "What guy?" he asks.

"My Chris, he found this 20 something year old by the lake last night, dressed in full armour he was"

"Seriously!"

"Yeah, and apparently he said he was King Arthur of Camelot, how crazy is that?"

"Crazy"

"Yeah and then he said that because of all that they took him to the hospital"

Looking away from the two women Merlin smiles and later that day, when his shift finished at 1 he got away as fast as he could and headed straight to the nearest hospital and got directed to the correct ward. When he arrived there he went to the reception desk.

"Hello sir, what can I do for you?" asked the woman at the desk.

"My erm, ... brother in law was brought in last night, he was found by the lake in Glastonbury"

"Let me get the doctor"

The receptionist then walked away and returned a few moments later she returned with the doctor.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Harper".

"Hello, I'm Henry Thomas"

"So you think this man is your brother in law?"

"Yes sir, I do"

"Then follow me please"

Down the corridor Dr Harper leads Merlin to a room with a window, through which the warlock can see Arthur (who is wearing clothes from the lost and found) pacing the room.

"That's him"

"Are you sure Mr Thomas?"

"Yes"

"Then may I talk to you about him for a moment?"

"Go ahead"

"When he came in, he kept insisting that his name is Arthur Pendragon and that he's King of Camelot, he was brought in wearing full armour" explains the Doctor

"His name is Arthur Pendrake, he's an Arthurian enthusiast, he partakes in medieval jousting matches and the like"

"Oh, I shall go and fetch some paperwork, you may go in if you like"

"Thank you"

Making sure that no one is around, Merlin cautiously opened the door and walked inside the room, causing Arthur to turn around and stare at him.

"Emr...Merlin?"

"Hello Arthur, long time no see"

"What's going on, they're saying that I'm crazy"

"I know, but don't worry, I'll have you out of here in no time"

"Okay, but where are we, this place looks nothing like Camelot?"

"I'll explain when we get home, ok?"

"Okay"

An hour later, Merlin leads Arthur out of the hospital and the King looks completely shocked by the modernness of everything.

"C'mon, follow me, I parked over here"

"Parked what?"

"You'll see"

Merlin then leads Arthur over to his car (a Vauxhall Astra Tourer) which the former looks very pleased about while the latter just looks confused.

"What is this thing Merlin?"

"It's called a car, a vehicle which gets you from place to place"

"What's wrong with a horse?"

"Nothing, but these are faster, you'll get wherever you want to quicker, now get in"

The two of them get in the car, Arthur is sat in the passenger seat.

"Put your seatbelt on, look, watch me"

Arthur then watches Merlin fasten his seatbelt and copies his friends action.

"So this thing can move?"

"Oh yes, just watch"

Merlin then starts up the car with Arthur looking more than a little frightened at the noise it makes as it roars into life. Moments later when Merlin has pulled away, Arthur looks at him and says "You know, seeing you as an old man is very strange"

"Seeing you again after all this time is strange for me"

"Why, how long has it been for you?"

"Over 1000 years"

"WHAT!"

**End of Chapter**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Half an hour later Merlin and Arthur pull into drive of Merlin's house, with Arthur looking astounded at the size of it.

"How on earth could you afford this place Merlin?"

"What, you didn't think I'd be a servant on a servant's wages all my life did you? No, I've made a few investments over the years"

"I guessed that"

"Come on, do you want to see inside?"

"Alright"

Moments later the two of them walk inside the house and again Arthur is astounded because the place is decorated wonderfully, with art on the walls, plush furniture and it also felt homely.

"Well you certainly landed on your feet didn't you?"

"I tried to make it feel as if it were Camelot, should you ever return"

"Speaking of which, why am I here? No, scratch that, how am I here? I was dead, wasn't I?"

"You were, you actually died in my arms, I tried to save you as best as I could, but nothing worked, I'd almost got you to Avalon Lake, where the sidhe could've helped you, but you died before we got there".

"That must've been horrible for you, I'm sorry Merlin"

"Yeah, whatever"

"What did you do with my body ?"

"I called on the help of an old friend"

"Who?"

"Kilgharrah"

"You're friend's with a dragon!"

"Yes, I'm actually the Last Dragon lord and we'd known each other since my very first night in Camelot, he came and helped me carry your body to the lake where I took your ring off, put you in a boat and pushed it away towards the lake".

"You didn't set it on fire!"

"No, because of the prophecy"

"What prophecy?"

"You are the Once and Future King and it is or was prophesised that you would rise again to save Albion in a time of great peril".

"Oh, wait, what did you do with my ring?"

"I sent it to Camelot, where Gwen was crowned with it"

"Why didn't you take the ring yourself?"

"Because I couldn't face them, with them knowing that I hadn't managed to save you so I left, travelled all over and when they were all long gone I returned to a Camelot that didn't know who I was and I haven't moved since"

"This is Camelot! What happened to the castle, the town?"

"The town is still here, it's just expanded with all the new technologies that come with the changing years. As for the castle it's just outside of town, it's in ruins though"

"Ruins! Why?"

"Because Camelot is no longer a kingdom in itself, the country is not as divided as it once was, there is only one monarch and she lives at Buckingham Palace in London".

"This is all …"

"Overwhelming?" offered Merlin.

"A little"

"Don't worry, you've got some time to get used to it all"

"Do you happen to know what happened to everyone?"

"Gwaine died trying to stop Morgana from killing us. Gaius died a few years later, he was happy, Leon and Percival both lived to a ripe old age, getting married to Catrain and Faylinn respectively. Leon had 3 boys and 2 girls, Breena, Raisa, Garrett, Jeremy and Conrad. Percival had 3 girls and 1 son, Edmund, Aveline, Genevieve and Cristiana".

"And Gwen?"

"A few weeks after you died she found out she was with child and months later she gave birth to a healthy baby boy?"

"I have a son!"

"Arthur Elyan Gwaine Merlin, Prince and later King of Camelot".

"I don't suppose you know what he looked like do you?"

"Yes, Gaius told me in a letter, he had Gwen's skin colour and hair and your eyes, nose and personality, in Gaius' words he's headstrong, brave and courageous".

"Thank you Merlin".

"You're welcome Arthur, now come on, let me show you around".

**End of Chapter**


End file.
